This easy to prepare fall dessert is bursting with harvest flavors: fruit is blanketed with a crisp cinnamon, pecan and oat layer. Vegan, gluten-free and irresistible!
Here is a wonderful recipe with all the sweet flavors of fall – lightened-up. One of my favorite desserts – homey, light and delicious.
Is there any better aroma than a spiced apple dessert wafting through the air of your kitchen? With minimal skill and some pantry ingredients you probably have on hand – a homemade fall crisp is ready to enjoy (whipped coconut cream on top?)
Apples and raspberries are blanketed with a crisp cinnamon, oat and pecan layer. An easy, sprinkle-on-topping over tender fruit that’s not too sweet! The berries offer a gorgeous ruby hue to the crisp while lending a delicate rosy, perfumey flavor.
Just enough coconut oil is blended with oats, pecans, natural cane sugar and warm spices for the topping. I’ve cut down on the sugar too, so it is not overly sweet – a problem with too many apple desserts. The filling contains a little apple cider which adds moisture, (so it’s not dry) and double apple zing!
Vegan desserts can be quite delicious – give this one a try, I believe this recipe is a great start, and does not sacrifice flavor. Coconut oil replaces butter in typical crisps and is a healthy alternative with a nutty flavor.
Give Rapadura sugar a try! Similar to coconut palm sugar in taste; an unrefined and unbleached whole cane sugar with caramel notes. Use it in recipes calling for light brown sugar, you’re going to love it’s pure molasses tang.
I’ve used Zestar apples for the crisp (a newish variety that came to market in 1999) – an early season type which holds up well in this dessert.
They are firm like granny smiths, with the a sweet-spicy-tart flavor. It’s fun to try new apples, just choose one that holds it’s shape.
This season, farmers’ markets and apple orchards offer just picked, local apples in a diversity of colors and flavors. Each year it seems like new varieties are “coming to market” – some become trendy (think Mutsu, Jazz and Honeycrisp.) I would like to add Zestar apple to that list!
Enjoy the first flavors of fall,
Karen
